Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-01-25

Answer - the District Co0unissaoness
- the SenAae Reo0lu1io0a.
The Commissioners to-day sent Tho following
letter to the senate:
The Commissioners Of the District OF colum-
bia have received the resolution OF tie Senate
passed tho l4thanstant. inthese words:
Senate resolut1on-'sThat the CunmissioneB OF
the District OF Columbia be direcsed to report to
the Senate the number Of licensed dealers in tn-
toxicat1ng nqu0rs wholesale and retail respec-
lively, In the District the rate Of license charged
and the authority under which the licenses have
been granted
In response to this resolution the Commissioners
Deg leave to say that under the several acts 'im-
sions carried on in the District Of columbia. and
providing for the enforcement and collection Of
lines and penalties for carrying on business in said
sale OF distilled or fermented liquors bear date
from the nrst day OF November In each
year. THESE licenses are OF two kinds
for 'bar rooms, sample rooms and tipping
houses" and licenses as dealers In distilled and
iermented liquors wines and cordials." a more
in the resolution-wholesale and retail liquor
licenses; the frst license selling liquor in quanti-
es greater rs Than pint and then only as ms1
the premises. Acting upon tnis last mentioned
i,
have required all parties selling liquor to be drunk
upon the premises where sold 70 apply for and OBJ
tain retail licenses granting wholesale licenses tn
chandize. to be taken away from the premises as
oener merchandise. Under these regulations and
rulings the number OF licenses granted SINCE
November the first, 1885, Is as follows:
Wholesale licenses issued to dealers only, SIS.
Retail licenses issued to bar-rooms, ETC., S54. The
sase 81 license charged for these several licenses Il
dollars; Tor retail for bar room hcene1
one hundred dollars.
These licenses are granted aader ''an act I'm
tesstons carried on in the District Of Columbia,
passed by the legislative assembly OF the Dfstrct
passed by The same BODY June 20, Iszs, - making
changes In the original act aGd providing for the
enforcement and cOllecttonO6 fines and penalties
licenses" The sections containing the provisions
having relation to licenses for theSaae Of liquor,
&C., are In the following w0edS:
Here the law is Quoeed.l
Congress has made some changes In the law Ne
States In force In the District OF Columbia, sec
lions 11S1, 1162, 1883 and section A36.
on the 18th instant the Senate by resolu.
direct the commissioners, "tn answering the res
Olution OF January L. 1887, to furnish information
as to the number of places where liquors are sold
places are not suppressed"
In answer to this, the Commissioners have
to say that they are not advised that any
places exist In the District OF Columbia where
liquors are sold without a license Proceedings
have been instituted in the Police Court against
one Donelly, who keeps bar room on the corner
for selling liquor without license.
There may be few other parties who are selling
stances Having made the deposit required by
law, these parties represent that they have OBJ
tanned all OF the signers needed except one or two
and present proof to that effect and ask that pro.
them a
days, and under the circumstances the Commits
sioners have directed the police not to inter.
BY this means these parties are selling under 3
writ OF quasi license. It was formerly the custom
upon giving the receipt for the deposit required tl
license whine the application for license was pend
ing; but the Commissioners do not deem this a
safe practice. Another practice was to prosecute
obtaining license, to nou pros such proceedings.
The resolution also inquiries why such placea
meaning those to waich licenses have not been
method devised by law by winch these places
where liquors are sold can be sup
pressed, except where the parties keeping them
sunday or have been found guilty OF selling liquor
to soldiers or persons wearing the uniform OF sol
a11ers, in such cases the license, where one has
been granted, sdeclared forfei1ed and where such
:saleS are made without license IL Is mantfestay
intended that the Commissioners should have
power to prevent such selling.
warrant and trial before the Police Court. In
such case the punishment Is by imposition Of q
fine or penalty, and the defendant has q right OF
appeal Tbs night Of appeal is almost Always
awaited OF, and as the court to which the appeal Is
taken is very much occupied with other business
the average OF time for the hearing OF most appeals
is about II months. The Commissioners believe
that If some method could be devised by which
these appeals could be heard without delay q
great step would be taken towards the suppress
sion OF these places when unlicensed or when vio
lattng the license laws. II In addition, the Com.
missiOners cOul be clothed with power to Close
such places after conviction In one court
and during the time that the heaffng
OF the appeal is pending in another court
the suppression could be at once attained. The
bill passed by the senate at its last session and
now pending In the House. II it becomes q Law,
must have most salutary effect, because it places
the question OF the Commissioners right to exer-
else discretion In the matter OF granting liquor
licenses beyond question and gives them power to
close the places where liquors are sold upon con-
T1ctiOn Of the DrOOietOf.